The Christmas Season is a time for family and friends to get together to share and to celebrate the spirit and blessings of Christmas. It’s a time of caring and giving. It can also be a reflective or sentimental time for many, and there is no better way to feel a sense of comfort and connection then through experiencing a beautiful concert of some of the most beloved music of this special season. These familiar melodies can fill our hearts and souls with joy as well as solace, deeply enriching us, elevating and transporting us.

Much of the Christmas music we hear each year is so familiar that it can be taken for granted, however, this music tells us much about who we are and where we have come from. Many of these pieces have histories going back one or two hundred years, and interestingly, there are many familiar Christmas Carols that originated over the course of 600 years or more. In this concert we’ll take you on somewhat of a walk-through history from Christmas pieces that are very old to those that are relatively new, and some whose composers are lost in the mists of time, and others whose composers are renowned. All were inspired by the events and stories of over 2000 years ago.

Ensemble Vivant has been blessed to have countless richly imaginative arrangements of some of the most cherished Christmas Carols and other pieces that have become favourites during this magical Season. These wonderful arrangements have been written especially for Ensemble Vivant, most of them by Order of Canada recipient Rick Wilkins, and 1 by Claudio Vena and another by Mark Camilleri.

The spiritual and seasonal music of Christmas time is loved and celebrated equally around the world. We hope that our concert will bring you comfort and joy. Please join us to rejoice and savour the beauty of this glorious music that will continue to endure eternally.

Christmas with Ensemble Vivant (Full Concert)

Christmas with Ensemble Vivant (First Half Concert)

Christmas with Ensemble Vivant (Second Half Concert)

ORDER of INDIVIDUAL PIECES:

  1. Joy to The World (Lowell Mason; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  2. Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring (Johann Sebastian Bach; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  3. Waltz of The Flowers (Peter Tchaikovsky; arr Claudio Vena)
  4. O Come O Come Emmanuel (Traditional; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  5. Christmas Medley (Traditional Carols; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  6. Hark The Harold Angels Sing (Felix Mendelssohn; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  7. Silent Night (Franz Gruber; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  8. Dance of The Sugar Plum Fairy (Peter Tchaikovsky; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  9. For Unto Us A Child Is Born (George Frederick Handel; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  10. What Child Is This (Traditional; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  11. Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  12. Lo How a Rose ‘Ere Blooming (Traditional; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  13. Deck The Hall (Traditional; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  14. Ave Maria (Johann Sebastian Bach/Charles Gounod; arr Rick Wilkins, C.M.)
  15. It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year (Edward Pola/George Wyle; arr Mark Camilleri)

This concert was made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Ross Mitchell Family Foundation, Home Instead Senior Care, Tap and Marjut Nousiainen and Mark Wells by Euterpe Corporation for Music is the Key. These videos will grace retirement and long-term care homes during the Christmas Season for years to come.

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